Aaron Pico Set for Massive Opportunity Against Top-Ranked Opponent at UFC 333

MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 11: Aaron Pico of the United States, (R), pounds Patricio Pitbull of Brazil during a featherweight bout at UFC 327 at the Kaseya Center on April 11, 2026. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) Getty Aaron Pico is set to face Arnold Allen in a significant matchup at UFC 333, taking place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on October 24.

Allen currently holds the No. 5 spot in the UFC featherweight rankings and has been a consistent presence in the top-10 for years. The bout's importance stems from the fact that the victor could be on his way to a featherweight title shot. Pico, who made his UFC debut with considerable hype after a strong tenure in Bellator, has now faced opponents twice, having secured his first UFC win by outscoring Patricio Pitbull at UFC 327.

The victory was a crucial one for Pico, as he had been chasing that win for years. The fighter's recent performance against Pitbull showcased his composed and strategic approach in the striking exchanges, a positive indicator for the upcoming fight. Since his win over Pitbull in April, Pico has been active, returning to wrestling with Real American Freestyle and securing a win over Lance Palmer at RAF 10.

With the current state of the featherweight division, a win over Allen could potentially lead to a title shot for Pico. The division could see a shake-up following Alexander Volkanovksi's title defense against Movsar Evloev and the recent move of No. 2 ranked Diego Lopez to lightweight. Additionally, No. 3 ranked Lerone Murphy's first career loss to Evloev could further impact the rankings, leaving No. 4 ranked Aljamain Sterling ahead of Allen.